Sneads Pirates eliminates Gators from postseason

Published: Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 09:10 AM.

For most of the first half last Friday the host Wewahitchka Gators played back-and-forth with Sneads.

But too many givebacks by the Gators proved their undoing.

Turnovers, including a key interception and two fumbles, proved decisive as the Pirates pounded Wewahitchka 53-14, officially eliminating the Gators (2-6 overall, 0-3 in District 4-1A) from playoff contention.

The Gators host Vernon at 7 p.m. CT this Friday, have a bye week and finish the season on the road against West Gadsden.

Sneads scored on a long run to finish the opening drive of the game, but the Gators answered, driving the length of the field to set up junior quarterback Rashard Ranie’s 1-yard touchdown run.

A failed extra point left the Gators behind 7-6.

Sneads responded with another long drive punctuated by a rushing touchdown to take a 14-6 before things unraveled for Wewahitchka.

For most of the first half last Friday the host Wewahitchka Gators played back-and-forth with Sneads.

But too many givebacks by the Gators proved their undoing.

Turnovers, including a key interception and two fumbles, proved decisive as the Pirates pounded Wewahitchka 53-14, officially eliminating the Gators (2-6 overall, 0-3 in District 4-1A) from playoff contention.

The Gators host Vernon at 7 p.m. CT this Friday, have a bye week and finish the season on the road against West Gadsden.

Sneads scored on a long run to finish the opening drive of the game, but the Gators answered, driving the length of the field to set up junior quarterback Rashard Ranie’s 1-yard touchdown run.

A failed extra point left the Gators behind 7-6.

Sneads responded with another long drive punctuated by a rushing touchdown to take a 14-6 before things unraveled for Wewahitchka.

Ranie was intercepted on the first play of the ensuing drive and the Pirates converted the turnover into points and a 21-6 lead.

The Pirates added a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter to enter halftime with a 33-6 lead.

The Gators took the second half kickoff and marched down the field, senior running back Jarvar Hill dashing 27 yards up the gut to score.

An Irvin Maiben run on the two-point conversion pulled Wewahitchka within 33-14 and breathed life into the Gators.

But Sneads quickly extinguished hope with two more rushing touchdowns, one following a Gator fumble and by the end of the third period it was 46-14.

Ranie finished 4 for 9 passing for 53 yards with one interception. He added 18 yards rushing on two carries.

Hill led the Gators with 104 yards rushing on 15 carries and caught two passes for 35 yards.

Junior Tad Gaskin also caught two passes, totaling 18 tards and Maiben, just a sophomore, had something of a breakout game with 73 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Jonathan Palmer, another sophomore, added three yards on five carries for the Gators.